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llllllIl III FI llll Il| llllllll II M. s'. MOORE LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 27, 1937 Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to The Mining Engineering Company Limited, Worcester, England, a British comm ny Application February 27,. 19.;i,s.;.-i.;1 No. 128,263.

Renewed November 30, 1938.

ain March 28, '1936 In Great Brit-.

12 Claims. (ClQ'198-9) My invention relates to sweeping devices for use in connection with mining conveyors and the like, and more particularly with loading ma chines of the type comprising an endless conveyor adapted to be moved along the coal face in longwall work.

It is well known that the progress of the loading machine along the coal face is frequently impeded by broken down coal or spill coal, which has spread out from the coal face,or was blown forward by the shooting. To remove such spill coal it has been proposed to use a sweep or shield adapted to be pushed in front of the machine like a plough in order to deflect the coal pieces sideways and clear the way for the machine. It is found, however, that such a shield sets up a heavy stress on the haulage gear of the machine.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a sweeping device having a sweeping movement of its own, as distinguished from that resulting solely from the forward motion of the machine, thereby making it possible more effectively to deal with the spill material and to relieve the haulage gear of the loading machine.

With this object in view, the sweeping device according to this invention comprises a rotatable shaft or drum mounted in a frame fitted in front of the machine, said shaft extending transversely of the direction of travel of the machine and being provided with projections adapted to engage the coal and move it out of the way of the advancing machine. Preferably the shaft or drum comprises two portions, one provided with a screwthread and acting as a worm conveyor to move the coal sideways, the other having a series of teeth or picks adapted to lift the coal over or onto the machine. The frame carrying said shaft or drum may be secured to the front wall of the machine in any suitable way, as by dovetailed ribs and grooves. It is preferably removable. The shaft may be supported from v one side of the frame, i. e. the side adjacent the worm portion of the shaft; the side of the frame then may advantageously be shaped as a narrow plough projecting forwardly to protect the sprocket wheel or other means for driving the shaft.

With a machine of the type in which a loader bar extends in front of and parallel to an endless conveyor, the sweeper frame is conveniently secured to the gear box in which the bar is journalled, the toothed portion of the shaft or drum being situated in front of the lower part of the box so that the transfer of the spill coal to the conveyor is not impeded.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention,-

the frame carrying the sweeper shaft is provided, opposite the toothed portion of the shaft, with a comb which fills the space between that portion of the shaft and the frame, so as to prevent coal pieces accumulating in said space.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which such embodiment of our invention is 11 lustrated byway of example:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the sweeping device arranged in front of a loading machine, the section being on line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section axially of the sweeping shaft.

Fig. 3 is a side view looking in the direction of arrows III-III in Fig. 2.

In the drawing I is the frame of an endless conveyor 2 arranged transversely of the base plate 3 of a loading machine, at the forward end thereof. Extending alongside the conveyor is a loader bar t fitted with picks or teeth 5, which cooperates with a comb-shaped piece 6 on the conveyor frame I, the loaded bar being journalled at one end in a gear box 1. In the machine illustrated, the portion of the conveyor 2 extending over the base plate 3 is raised to carry the coal to a suitable height and deliver it over a plate 8 onto a conveyor 9 (Fig. 3). The gear box l is shaped at the top to follow the slope of the rising portion of the conveyor 2.

Secured in front of the gear box 1 is a frame It, hereinafter called sweeper frame in which is journalled a spindle ll carrying the sweeper shaft or drum 12. As shown, the drum l2 comprises two portions, one of which has a screwthread l3 and the other a series of teeth or picks it which are preferably arranged in double helical formation so as to pick up coal pieces without spreading them.

The sweeper frame 10 has on one side of the machine a forwardly projecting portion l5 shaped as a plough. Another portion l6 of the frame extends between the shaft or drum [2 and the gear box l, and the end part thereof opposite the toothed portion of the drum is fitted with a comb I! having horizontal teeth l8 for receiving the pieces of coal lifted by the drum picks l4.-

Preferably the drum-carrying spindle II is mounted in ball bearings I9 and driven through sprockets 2B, 2! and chain 22 from the end of the loader bar 4. As shown, the sweeper drum is overhung, being supported on the spindle at one end only, there being at the other end of the drum no support capable of impeding the progress of the machine.

The sweeper frame In is conveniently made symmetrical with respect to its horizontal centre plane so that it is reversible and can be used in front of the machine loading in either direction. The frame in is removably secured to the gear box, as by dovetailed ribs or plates 23.

The comb II also is removably connected to the frame portion It, being fitted in circularly formed dovetails 24 so that it can be reversed with the frame.

In operation the machine progresses in a direction at right angles or substantially at right angles to the axis of the drum l2. As it advances the spill coal in front thereof is moved sideways by the plough I5 and by the worm portion l3 of the revolving drum [2, until it is caught by the teeth or picks I 4 which lift the pieces over the comb l1 and teeth I8, and over the box I whence thy'fall onto the conveyor 2.

item be understood that my improved sweeping device may be used in connection with machines'of difierent types, and that its shape may ,be' varied without departingfrom the scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a loading machine for longwall work, the combination, with a frame and an endless con- --veyor in said frame, of a gear box on one side of said frame, a loader bar projecting from said gear box, a sweeper frame,means securing said sweeperframe to said gear box, a spindle rotatably mounted in said sweeper frame, a drum on said =-spin'dle, and means on said drum adapted to engage loose material and move it out of the way of saidgear box.

2. 'In a loading machine, the combination with a frame, of a sweeper frame, means securing said -'-sweeper frame to one side of said first-mentioned rrama a spindle rotatably mounted in said sweeper 'frame, a drum on said spindle, said drum having' two portions, a screw thread on one of said porti'ons formoving loose material sideways, and a series of teeth on the other of said portions for raising said'm'aterial over said sweeper frame.

3.-A machine asset forth in claim 2, the said teeth being arranged in double helical formation.

4. In a loading-machine, the combination with a frame, of a sweeper frame, means securing said sweeper frame in front of said first-mentioned frame,--a spindle rotatably mounted in said sweeper frame, a. drum on said spindle, one side of said sweeper frame being shaped as a plough projecting-forwardly of said drum, and projections on said drum for moving loose material out of the way of said machine.

5.' A machine I as set forth in claim 2, said sweeper frame having a comb-shaped portion extending between the toothed portion of said drum and saidfirst-mentioned frame.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 1, said spindle'being' supported in one side of the sweeper frame, said supporting side of the sweeper frame being shaped as a forwardly projecting plough, and drivingconnections being provided on said side'of the sweeper frame for rotating said spindle.

7. In a loading machine, the combination with a movable frame and an endless conveyor in said frame, of a sweeper frame, means securing said sweeper frame to one side of said conveyor frame, said sweeper frame having one extremity shaped as a plough, bearings in said plough-shaped extremity of said sweeper frame, a spindle journalled in said bearings, a drum secured at one end to'said spindle, said drum extending parallel to said conveyor, projections on said drum for moving loose material sideways, and projections on said drum for successively raising said material over said sweeper frame and delivering it to said conveyor.

8. In a loading machine for longwall work, the combination with a conveyor frame extending at right angles to the direction of movement of said machine, a gear box on one side of said conveyor frame,- a loader bar projecting from said gear box and extending parallel to said conveyor frame of a sweeper frame, means for detachably securing s'aid'sweepe'r'frame to said gear box, said sweeper frame being reversible and symmetrical with respect to its horizontal centre plane, a spindle rotatably mounted in said sweper frame, a drum on said spindle, and projectidns on said drum.

9. In a loadingmachine, the combination with a movable conveyor frame, of a sweeper frame, means for detachably securing said sweeper frame to one side of said conveyor frame, said sweeper frame being reversible and symmetrical with respect to its horizontal centre plane, a spindle rotatably mounted in said sweeper frame, a drum on said spindle, projections on said drum, and a comb piece adapted'to cooperate with said drum, said comb piece being reversible and removably fitted in said sweeper frame.

10. A loading machine as set forth in claim 9, said' sweeper frame having circularly formed dovetails, said comb piece being reversibly fitted in said dovetails.

11. In a loading machine, the combination with a conveyor extending transversely of the machine, a gear box and a loader bar projecting from said gear box in front-of said conveyor, of a sweeper frame, means for securing said sweeper frame to said gear box, a sweeper drum rotatably mounted in said sweeper frame, means in said gear box for actuating said' drum andmeans on said drum for moving loose material sideways towards said bar.

12. In a loading machine, the combination with a frame and a conveyor in said frame extending transversely of the machine, a gear box on said frame and a loader bar projecting from said gear box in front of said conveyor, of a sweeper frame, means for securing said sweeper frame to said gearbox, a sweeper drum rotatably mounted in said sweeper frame, means in said gear box for rotating said drum, a comb piece on said sweeper frame between said drum and said gear box, means on said drum for moving loose material sideways towards said bar and means on said drum for feeding loose material over said combpiece and said gear box into said conveyor.

MATTHEW SMITH MOORE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent Nos 2,1L ,6o7. January 10, 19 9.

MAT'IHEW SMITH MOORE.

It is hereby certified that the abote numbered patent was erroneously issued to The Mining Engineering Company Limited, as assignee, whereas said patent should have been issued to the patentee, said Moore, and The Mining Engineering Company Limited, of Worcester, England, a British company; as assignee of one-half interest only in said invention, as shown by the record of assigmnents in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be 'read with this correction therein that the same may Conform to the record of the Case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of March, A. 1). 1959.

Henry Van' Arsdal e (Seal) Aeting Commissioner of Patents. 

